Just two years ago, former Rep. Anthony Weiner was forced to resign from Congress after lying to the press and public about tweeting illicit photos of himself. Today, however, he is waging an improbably competitive race for mayor of New York City. Weiner recently spoke to at a high school graduation about “redemption.” According to the New York Times, he invoked the “art of the hero” and compared his own recovery from adversity to that of Nelson Mandela and FDR.

Pro tip: If you’re a Democrat politician whose actual record of accomplishments while in office is rather on the non-existent side, don’t make such comparisons yourself. Have the staffers on your “non-official campaign” compare you to Mandela and FDR. They appreciate being useful, you look (slightly) less silly; it’s a much smoother move all-around, making the lies go down all the more effortlessly.